The government is executing a targeted strategy to dismantle the networks responsible for smuggling narcotics into the nation, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan has said.
Speaking at a news conference held at the President's Office, Minister Ihusaan detailed the administration's two-pronged approach — curbing the import of drugs by identifying and disrupting smuggling routes, while simultaneously strengthening treatment and rehabilitation services for drug users.
The Minister revealed statistics from the past six months, showcasing the success of joint operations between the Maldives Police Service (MPS) and Maldives Customs Service. A total of 83.45 kilograms of illicit drugs, with an estimated street value of USD 4.7 million, have been intercepted. The bulk of this haul, around 72 kilograms, was seized by Customs in eight separate cases while smugglers attempted to breach the country's borders.
"There has been an increase in the number of drugs seized while trying to smuggle them into Maldives by air and sea," he explained, adding that the government has already identified three key individuals linked to these trafficking operations.
"The three mentioned previously are already being brought back to the country by the Maldives Police in collaboration with Interpol and various agencies," he announced.
"We are analysing the origins of the drugs and identifying the shipments that are brought through the flagged smugglers."
The crackdown also extends beyond traditional narcotics. Minister Ihusaan reported the seizure of over 7,000 vape sticks and two million illegally imported cigarettes during the same period, highlighting the broader effort to combat all forms of illicit smuggling.